Conventional arrows rely primarily on the arrow tip to cut into a target, with no consideration that the arrow or arrows themselves can be integral cutting devices. These conventional arrows generally include an arrow shaft having interchangeable arrow heads. Generally, arrow head designs have been limited to small broad heads designed for improved flight, and a one size cutting angle and resulting cutting diameter. There has been little design variation, even with the development of modern high speed and compound bows, spear guns, and cross bows. Existing designs do not provide the ability for the archer to adjust the blade angle on the arrow heads to compensate for variable for bow poundage, or for specific target game. In addition, most current arrow head designs do not provide for a change of blade angles at the time of target penetration to optimize arrow performance for target having different densities.
Additionally, the safety of drawing an arrow and firing an arrow has not been addressed to protect the archer's hand and arm. Conventional arrow rests have been one dimensional only, holding the arrow at one point of time and place. The critical space between the string and bow handle, commonly called the “brace height,” is left open by conventional arrow rests so that the archer is unprotected in that space. Moreover, conventional known arrow heads generally have blades that are fixed in open positions, and lack a safety locking system in place to constrain the blades in a closed position during the draw and fire cycle.
Modem bows, spear guns and crossbows today have reached levels of speed and kinetic energy that were not available years ago. The kinetic energy of the arrow in flight has almost doubled. Many modern arrows are designed to enable “pass through” shots, where the arrow completely passes quickly through the target. Because the arrow continues moving through and beyond the target, the arrow does not deliver 100% of its kinetic energy to the target. Any kinetic energy not delivered to the target is wasted.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a hunting arrow that deploys maximum kinetic energy on the target. Such a design may include an arrow that deploys the proper number of blades at the proper blade angle, or that deploys multiple arrows, based on the density of the target at the point of impact. Such a design may also include a safety system that locks deployable blades or multiple arrow shafts into place during the draw and fire cycle, as well as an arrow rest and/or bow bracket that protects the arm and hand of an archer during the draw and fire cycle.
The invention is embodied in a hunting arrow that includes an arrow shaft having a front end and a back end, and at least one arrow blade attached to the arrow shaft and having a closed position and at least one open position, wherein the at least one arrow blade is substantially flush with the arrow shaft when in the closed position, and extends radially outward from the arrow shaft when in an open position. The arrow also includes an arrow tip attached to the front end of the arrow shaft and capable of moving longitudinally toward or away from the arrow shaft, wherein the arrow tip is operatively engaged with the at least one arrow blade so that movement of the arrow tip relative to the arrow shaft opens and closes the at least one arrow blade.
The invention is further represented in a hunting arrow that includes an arrow shaft divided into two substantially equal halves about a longitudinal plane of the arrow shaft, wherein the two substantially equal halves are releasably connected, and at least one trigger blade attached to at least one of the arrow shaft halves and configured to pivot in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal plane about which the shaft is divided, the at least one trigger blade having a target contacting end and an opposing shaft contacting end. Preferably, the at least one trigger blade is arranged and designed so that when the target contacting end comes into contact with a target, the trigger blade pivots so that the opposing shaft contacting end comes into contact with and exerts a force on the arrow shaft half to which it is not attached, thereby separating the shaft halves.
A further representation of the invention is found in a hunting arrow assembly that includes a coupler configured to hold at least two separate arrows so that the two separate arrows are releasably connected, and at least one trigger blade attached to at least one of the arrows and configured to pivot around its point of attachment to the arrow, the at least one trigger blade having a target contacting end and an opposing arrow contacting end. Preferably, the at least one trigger blade is arranged and designed so that when the target contacting end comes into contact with a target, the trigger blade pivots so that the opposing arrow contacting end comes into contact with and exerts a force on the arrow that is held by the coupler and to which the at least one trigger blade is not attached, thereby separating at least one of the arrows from the coupler.
The invention is further represented in a telescoping arrow for hunting that includes an arrow shaft having an inner shaft portion and an outer shaft portion having a front end, the inner shaft portion substantially radially surrounded by the outer shaft portion and configured to move relative to the outer shaft portion in a longitudinal direction, and a spring attached to the inner shaft portion and to the outer shaft portion, the spring arranged and designed so that in its neutral position the inner shaft portion extends at least partially out of the front end of the outer shaft portion. The telescoping arrow also includes means for maintaining the relative position of the inner and outer shaft portions so that the inner shaft portion is positioned substantially within the outer shaft portion and the spring is compressed between the inner and outer shaft portions, the spring exerting a force on the inner shaft portion toward the front end of the outer shaft portion. Preferably, further compression of the inner shaft portion relative to the outer shaft portion releases the means for maintaining the relative positions of the shaft portions so that the spring pushes the inner shaft portion at least partially out the front end of the outer shaft portion.
In addition, the invention is further represented by a hunting arrow having a hollow arrow shaft defining an interior space and having a front shaft section and a separable back shaft section, wherein the front and back shaft sections are releasably connected, and at least one shaft separation protrusion attached to each of the front shaft section and the back shaft section, the shaft separation protrusions positioned adjacent one another and substantially blocking the interior space with the arrow shaft. The arrow also has an arrow tip attached to the front end of the front shaft section and capable of moving longitudinally toward or away from the front shaft section, and a cam positioned within the interior space within the front shaft section and attached to the arrow tip so that the movements of the cam relative to the arrow shaft correspond to the movements of the arrow tip relative to the front shaft section. Thus, when the arrow tip is compressed relative to the front shaft section, the cam moves toward the back shaft section and pushes against the shaft separation protrusions, thereby forcing the shaft separation protrusions apart and separating the front shaft section from the back shaft section.